Lazlo Ferran's Blog
March 28, 2023
Vampire: Find my Grave
January 26, 2023
Free until 30th: The Hole Inside the Earth Vol 1
October 23, 2021
Classics Adapted by a Qualified?Teacher C Lazlo Ferran
Classics Adapted by a Qualified Teacher
October 22, 2021
Diary Entries During Writing of The Hole Inside the Earth
Introduction C 1 February, 2019
I dont know when I first conceived of The Hole Inside the Earth, but the idea to write something that spanned the whole of mans existence from early times to the far future has been around for a long time. I think I first started writing Green and then the other colours in the Autumn of 2015 and I remember needing one more thread as I only had 6, so I started Indigo on a very cold day in Jan or early Feb 2016. Until now, I often thought I would abandon it. In fact, in the early days, it was just an experiment, and I dont think I or anybody else thought I would finish it. But now I am through the worst. There have been times over the last year when I just had to make a huge effort to keep going and I think it affected me physically. I only started this diary in 2019, but then again, its the first time I felt that I could see light at the end of the tunnel.
nb: HITE is my acronym for The Hole Inside the Earth.
2 February, 2019
I finished Indigo 9 in the afternoon. I realise that actually I am a bit afraid of HITE, because it is such a huge undertaking. It may well be my last, major project. I am thinking of having Chaka become corrupt because of the allure of the splinter of blue wood in Drulas pouch. I am also thinking about having Omacron fall in the river at the top of the Altar mountain and somehow float down through an underground stream and come out in the Caves of the Orange Giant.
One last thought on fear; I feel that there is tremendous fear in the world right now. The fear seems to be of global recession, but I think this is tied to the changing political climate. I feel we are slowly moving to the left, and perhaps people on the right fear this and put up a struggle. Anyway, there is tremendous fear around, possibly exacerbated by fear of technological progress too.
3 February, 2019
I slept well last night, but I had an amusing dream. I was competing with another guy to descend this mountain first. It involved bob-sleighs, skis and eventually running and falling. I fell down this sheer cliff and into a complex set of concrete tunnels, like a bunker, surrounded by a river. The water flowed into the tunnels and carried me down and down, round lots of bends until I passed a small opening, inside which a man was writing at a desk.
I said, Where the Hell am I?
He replied, I guess you were on holiday and got lost.
I replied, Holiday? Who said anything about a holiday!
LOL
Still bloody cold. About 19 degrees in here, about 0 outside. Will put heating on soon.
I wanted to start Violet 9, but didnt really have any ideas so sat in bed most of the afternoon, thinking about it (it was a Sunday, so who cares?)
I finished the evening watching Triple Cross with Christopher Plummer (who I dont really like as an actor and the film is shit, but I kind of enjoyed it, because I didnt have to concentrate and could think about problems, and then I spent an hour more thinking. I feel like I have lost my mojo in the last week or so. I seem to get edgy at dusk, more than usual, which I can only put down to paranoia or lack of confidence (same thing?).
16 February, 2019
So busy today! Jadson is near the end of designing the cover for HITE, and I really want to get it out in a newsletter, so that I can get feedback from fans before we finalise it. I also want to get it up on Instagram, so that others can see it. Stopped listening to Led Zeppelin, because I dont want to get bored of the albums.
13 March, 2019
Yet another day of slogging. Editing is really getting me down and making it even harder to write HITE. But I worked out last night that if I can write 1000 words per day, I will finish HITE before end of this year. I will aim for this.
11 April, 2019
Have had almost constant back pain/stiffness on right side of hip for last month. I have had this before during stress, usually from women, but it usually goes quite quickly. This is really hanging around. No idea whats causing it. . Maybe the back pain is the constant pressure of coming up with ideas. I write 1000 words every day. Its not a lot, but to keep coming up with fresh ideas is hard.
14 April, 2019
My back/hip is really bad now. I can barely walk and find it hard to sleep. The pain is a constant dull ache, turning into sharp pain when I move.
17 April, 2019
I was feeling too ill to enter anything today. I went for a walk, and struggled for much of the distance. Wrote last section of Blue, Chapter 10 before taking a break from writing.
[I took a break from writing]
25 April, 2019
Worked out much of the final climax of HITE. Hurt by head a bit then! But hurt my leg a lot more at night.
8 May, 2019
Started Green, Chapter 11. Leg improving but still a bit stiff. Its frustrating me that I cant use the bike or do sit-ups, but theres no point trying until I can walk freely.
10 May, 2019
Wrote a battle scene in Green, Chapter 11, which flowed nicely, but I felt shit after. I had to spend all evening trying to convince myself (against a bad headache) that I want to write about this war, because Tantor simply would launch such a war to save himself and his ideas. Sometimes, war happens.
12 June, 2019
Wrote the death of Zang scene, which is about the most depressing I have ever written.
12 July, 2019
Had an easy day, because I chose to only write 600 words to compensate for the previous day. Felt a bit better. I am on to I12 now.
11 July, 2019
Nearly went crazy trying to get all the elements of the story to fit yesterday. Sorry to say I felt worse after, despite hours of trying to sort my head out. Its like they say C I needed to sit in a darkened room for a while, but somebody kept flicking the light on and off.
1 August, 2019
Wrote the deployment part of main battle. Very exciting!
2 September, 2019
Wrote end of Yellow!
24 September, 2019
Started Blue, Chapter 14 C the last chapter! Lakan selling Nimas meat.
29 September, 2019
Finished the main volumes! Wow! Now I just have to write the concluding volume: The Sea of Lost Intentions.
26 October, 2019
I finished HITE. I have some editing to do, but perhaps I will be able to write about other things here soon.
27 October, 2019
Working now on publishing the last parts of HITE, including the Appendices
28 October, 2019
It feels strange not be writing or editing. I published right up to Volume 14 yesterday and today I will start registering volumes with the British Library
31 October, 2019
Thought a bit about The Orange Tree [which I had put aside since 2017] and prepared 1 December mailshot.
Note from author: I will upload more content from my diary if theres enough interest.
Diary Entries During Writing of The Hole Inside the Earth by Lazlo Ferran
March 13, 2020
Homeschooling Reading for Kids During Covid-19 Coronavirus
How about classics adapted for kids?
Each edition is available as an eBook on Amazon, and (2 TEFL editions are also on StreetLib), with paperback and Large Print paperback available on Amazon only. Find out much more below.
Please note: not all editions are available outside the USA, for copyright reasons. However, you can order the paperbacks from Amazon.com (USA).
Here is the full list of books in the series (links are to Amazon):
The Mysterious Affair at Styles C Adapted For Kids C Large Print
The Secret Adversary C Adapted For Kids ( and Editions)
The Secret Adversary C For Kids (US and UK Editions) C Large Print
The Secret Adversary C Vocabulary Stretcher ( and Editions)
The Secret Adversary C For EFL/ESL Level B2 Students ( and Editions)
Frankenstein C Adapted For Kids C Large Print
MacBeth C Adapted For Kids C Large Print
The following are other examples of the twenty-volume series.
[image error]Frankenstein for Students of English as a Foreign Language
This edition includes student exercises at the end of every chapter with answers at the end of the book.
Victor Frankenstein dabbles with forces he cannot understand when he creates a monster at University in Geneva and brings it to life.
This version of the story has been specially adapted for pupils studying English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL, ESOL, EFL, TOEFL, ELTS CEFR), ideal for those studying for Citizenship in English-speaking countries like USA and UK. The language and vocabulary are simple, and emphasis is on action using past, present and future simple tenses.
Includes
Broad questions about the text that can be used for discussion or writing short essays
More detailed questions about the text.
Questions about grammar.
Games you can play on your own or with a friend.
Punctuation meets UK or USA ESL/CEFR/IELTS Level B2 in most cases, although there are some 19th Century features of the text which do not comply and have been left intact to preserve the charm of Mary Shelleys text.
[image error]MacBeth C Vocabulary Stretcher
This edition is a vocabulary stretcher and includes links from all difficult words to an online dictionary.
The wife of a Scottish lord persuades him to murder the King for his crown with dire consequences.
Shakespeares classic play has delighted readers and film fans for many years.
This version of the story has been specially adapted for students of English as a Foreign or Second Language. The language and vocabulary are simple, and emphasis is on action using past, present and future simple tenses.
Punctuation meets UK or USA ESL/CEFR/IELTS Level B2 in most cases, although there are some 19th Century features of the text which do not comply and have been left intact to preserve the charm of Shakespeares text.
[image error]They Mysterious Affair at Styles for kids
This edition features ten, unique illustrations throughout.
A guest at Styles house witnesses the sudden and mysterious death of its owner, but a friend in the village, Poirot, is a brilliant, Belgian detective.
Agatha Christies dapper dancing detective, Poiriot, has delighted readers and film fans for many years.
This version of the first Poirot story has been specially adapted for kids from nine to twelve years old. The language and vocabulary are easy, and emphasis is on action using past, present and future simple tenses.
Punctuation meets UK or USA ESL/CEFR/IELTS Level B2.
Lazlo Ferran is a fully qualified English teacher and teaches in London. He has also published more than twenty novels, making him the ideal choice to adapt Agatha Christies stories for children.
Vocabulary Stretcher and UK or USA ESL/CEFR Level B2 editions are also available.
[image error]The Secret Adversary for kids
This UK-English edition features ten, unique illustrations throughout.
A girl on the sinking liner Lusitania is given a secret packet to save by a mysterious stranger. Pursued by criminals and the British government, she goes missing, leaving amateur detectives Tuppence and Tommy to find her and rescue the packet.
This version of the second Christie story has been specially adapted for kids from nine to twelve years old. The language and vocabulary are easy, and emphasis is on action using past, present and future simple tenses.
Punctuation meets UK or USA ESL/CEFR/IELTS Level B2.
Lazlo Ferran is a fully qualified English teacher and teaches in London. He has also published more than twenty novels, making him the ideal choice to adapt Agatha Christies stories for children.
Vocabulary Stretcher and UK or USA ESL/CEFR Level B2 editions are also available.
You will find these books on their?
April 4, 2019
A-FR-DE-ES-PT-BR-MX
This has Chinese, German, Spanish, Portuguese and French sections. Diese Seite wird Chinesisch, , Spanisch, Portugiesisch?und Franz?sisch Abschnitten. Esta pgina no tiene secciones Chinos, Alemanes, , Portugus y Franceses. Cette page comporte des sections Chinoises, Allemandes, Espagnoles, portugais?et .?Esta pgina tem se??es Chinesas, Alem?s, Espanholas, e Francesas.
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(Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate) ʥĹѰ٣
(Ordo Lupus II: The Devils Own Dice)?ħϷ
(Too Bright the Sun)
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ҵIJSina
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Attack Hitlers Bunker!
RdЇ:?
Lazlo Ferran
ϲҵκƷ녚һʱϲҵ ҳ棬贷ѣ
ƽһһֱǺչϵѧDz֣ƽʦרְĽͷˣ֣֡¼רɫɽRAMZYĽ֮һܶطгڶɹְҵڿѧڣѾ뿪ҵרдһֱס1985ȺغӢļس
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Diese Bcher Sind in Deutscher Sprache Erh?ltlich.
(Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate) Ordo Lupus und das Tor des Tempels
Tolino (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
Overdrive (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
Kalahari (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
3M (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
Axis360 (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
(Ordo Lupus II: The Devils Own Dice) Ordo Lupus II: Die Teufels eigenen Dice
Tolino (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
Overdrive (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
Kalahari (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
3M (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
Axis360 (Suchen Sie auf der Website)
Lazlo Ferran
Biographie von Lazlo Ferran
Wenn Sie eine der meine Arbeit gef?llt bitte einen Moment Zeit, um meine m?gen und erkl?ren Sie Ihren Freunden von Lazlo Ferran!
W?hrend Lazlo Ferran au?ergew?hnliche Leben ist er ein Luftfahrttechnik Student, Melder, Grafiker, Vollzeit-Stra?enmusiker, Gitarristen und S?nger (zwei Alben, einer der arabischen Musik mit den Rhythmen von Hossam Ramzy). Er ist weit gereist und hatte lange und erfolgreiche Karriere in der 카지노싸이트-Industrie, aber jetzt im ?ffentlichen Sektor Besch?ftigung verlassen, um auf das Schreiben zu konzentrieren. Er lebt und arbeitet in London seit 1985 und aufgewachsen in der Heimat Grafschaften Englands.
Up als buddhistischer gebracht, in den letzten Jahren er auf einem informellen christlichen Glauben bewegt und hat engen Kontakt mit dem Islam und Hinduismus hatte. Er hat eine tiefe und dauerhafte Interesse an der Theologie und Philosophie. Seine Ideen und Beobachtungen bilden den Kern seiner Romane. Hier, bel, gut, Glck und Glauben Kampf um die Kontrolle der Seelen, der seine Welten bewohnen.
Er ist weit gereist, leben fr eine Weile in Kairo im Jahr 1982. Sp?ter verbrachte er einige Zeit in Zentralasien mit verschiedenen Abenteuern, von denen einer am Anfang in der traditionellen kirgisischen Stil geheiratet. Er hat ein gro?es Interesse an den Fernen Osten, Mittlerer Osten, Asien und Osteuropa C letztere informiert seine Reihe Bcher ber Vampire und Werw?lfe. Er h?lt sehr besch?ftigt als selbsttragende Schriftsteller, sondern ist ein gro?er Film-Fan und immer noch verfolgt seine anderen Interessen der Geschichte und Genealogie.
Folgen Sie ihm auf
Estos libros estn disponibles en espa?ol.
(Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate) Ordo Lupus y la Puerta del Templo
?(Nook)
Tolino (Bsqueda en el sitio web)
Overdrive (Bsqueda en el sitio web)
Kalahari (Bsqueda en el sitio web)
3M (Bsqueda en el sitio web)
Axis360 (Bsqueda en el sitio web)
(Ordo Lupus II: The Devils Own Dice) Ordo Lupus II: Elaboracin propia Dados del Demonio
Lazlo Ferran
Biografa de Lazlo Ferran
Si te gusta alguno de mi trabajo por favor tome un momento para que mi pgina de y dile a tus amigos sobre Lazlo Ferran!
Durante la extraordinaria vida de Lazlo Ferran, ha sido un estudiante de ingeniera aeronutica, jinete de despacho, dise?ador grfico, msico callejero de tiempo completo, el guitarrista y cantante (grabacin de dos discos, uno de la msica rabe con los ritmos de Hossam Ramzy). Ha viajado mucho y tena larga y exitosa carrera en la industria de la ciencia, pero ahora dej el empleo en el sector pblico para concentrarse en la escritura. Ha vivido y trabajado en Londres desde 1985 y creci en los condados de origen de Inglaterra.
Educado como budista, en los ltimos a?os se ha avanzado hacia una creencia cristiana informal y ha tenido contacto cercano con el Islam y el hinduismo. ?l tiene un inters profundo y duradero en la teologa y la filosofa. Sus ideas y observaciones forman el ncleo de sus novelas. Aqu, el mal, bueno, suerte y fe batalla por el control de las almas que habitan en sus mundos.
Ha viajado mucho, viviendo durante un tiempo en El Cairo durante 1982. Ms tarde, pas algn tiempo en Asia Central con varias aventuras, una de las cuales se estaba casando en el estilo tradicional kirguisa. ?l tiene un gran inters en el Lejano Oriente, Oriente Medio, Asia y Europa del Este C este ltimo informando su serie de libros sobre vampiros y hombres lobo. Se mantiene muy ocupado como un escritor auto-apoyado, pero es un gran fan de la pelcula y sigue buscando sus otros intereses de la historia y la genealoga.
Sguelo en:?
Estes livros ser?o em breve em portugus
Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate (Ordo Lupus e o Port?o do Tempo)
Estes Livros Est?o Disponveis em Portugus
(Attack Hitlers Bunker!) Ataque o Bunker de Hitler!
Tolino (Confira no site)
Overdrive (Confira no site)
Kalahari (Confira no site)
3M (Confira no site)
Axis360 (Confira no site)
(Too Bright the Sun) O Sol Brilhante Demais
Lazlo Ferran
Biografia de Lazlo Ferran
Se voc gosta de algum dos meus trabalhos, tome um momento para gostar da minha pgina no .
Durante a vida extraordinria do autor ingls Lazlo Ferran, ele um estudante de engenharia aeronutica, piloto de despacho, designer grfico, colecionador de tempo integral, guitarrista e cantor (gravando dois lbuns, uma msica rabe com os ritmos de Hossam Ramzy). Ele viajou amplamente e teve longa e bem sucedida carreira no setor de cincia, mas agora deixou o emprego no setor pblico para se concentrar na escrita. Ele viveu e trabalhou em Londres desde 1985 e cresceu nos municpios da Inglaterra.
Criado como budista, nos ltimos anos ele se moveu para uma cren?a crist? informal e teve contato ntimo com o Isl? e o Hindusmo. Ele tem um profundo e duradouro interesse pela teologia e filosofia. Suas idias e observa??es formam o ncleo de suas novelas. Aqui, maldade, boa, sorte e f batalham pelo controle das almas que habitam seus mundos.
Ele viajou amplamente, vivendo por um tempo no Cairo durante 1982. Mais tarde, passou algum tempo na ?sia Central tendo vrias aventuras, uma das quais se casou no estilo tradicional do Quirguist?o. Ele tem um grande interesse no Extremo Oriente, Oriente Mdio, ?sia e Europa Oriental C o ltimo informando sua srie de livros sobre vampiros e lobisomens. Ele mantm-se muito ocupado como um escritor auto-suportado, mas um grande buff do filme e ainda persegue seus outros interesses da histria e da genealogia.
Siga-me em
Disponible en Fran?ais
Ordo Lupus et le Portail du Temple (Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate)
Tolino (Recherche sur le site)
Overdrive (Recherche sur le site)
Kalahari (Recherche sur le site)
3M (Recherche sur le site)
Axis360 (Recherche sur le site)
Lazlo Ferran
Biographie de Lazlo Ferran
Si vous aimez un quelconque de mon travail sil vous pla?t prendre un moment pour que ma page et dites vos amis au sujet de Lazlo Ferran!
Au cours de la vie extraordinaire de Lazlo Ferran, il a t un tudiant en gnie aronautique, estafette, graphiste, musicien de rue temps plein, guitariste et chanteur (lenregistrement de deux albums, la musique arabe avec les rythmes de Hossam Ramzy). Il a beaucoup voyag et a eu longue et fructueuse carrire au sein de lindustrie de la science, mais maintenant quitt lemploi dans le secteur public de se concentrer sur lcriture. Il a vcu et travaill Londres depuis 1985 et a grandi dans les comts la maison de lAngleterre.
Elev en tant que bouddhiste, au cours des dernires annes, il a volu vers une croyance chrtienne informel et a eu des contacts troits avec lislam et de lhindouisme. Il a un intrt profond et durable dans la thologie et la philosophie. Ses ides et ses observations forment le noyau de ses romans. Ici, le mal, bon, chance et de la bataille de la foi pour le contr?le des ?mes qui peuplent ses mondes.
Il a beaucoup voyag, vivant pendant un certain temps au Caire en 1982. Plus tard, il a pass quelque temps en Asie centrale ayant diverses aventures, dont lun allait se marier dans le style traditionnelle kirghize. Il a un vif intrt dans lExtrme-Orient, Moyen-Orient, en Asie et en Europe de lEst C ce dernier informant sa srie de livres sur les vampires et les loups-garous. Il tient trs occup comme un crivain auto-porte, mais est un grand fan de cinma et poursuit toujours ses autres intrts de lhistoire et de la gnalogie.
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November 20, 2018
Memories of the 1960s: Issue VI C Shopping
My 1960s Memories has proved popular, so here is another: Shopping.
There is a permanent page for Memories of the 1960s?.
Shopping was confusing in the 1960s, even if you only had pocket money of one shilling to spend, as I did.
[image error]Threepenny Bit
The old system of currency could be traced back to the Roman Empire and was based on the penny, symbolised by the letter d for denari. Under this system, there were 12 pence in a shilling and 20 shillings, or 240 pence, in a pound. Needless to say, for a kid whose mathematical skills were still developing, I needed one of my parents with me to shop for anything at all!
Of course, things were much cheaper then. Most things for kids, such as singe records (45 rpm), toy cars and dollhouse items were much than one pound, so I could save up for a toy car roughly once every ten weeks.
We lived in a small town of about 20,000 people. I dont remember any supermarket, so general shopping was a nightmare! There was a huge, central car park, which was always packed, so my mum would often drive around the one-way system several times waiting to get in. From here, it was a systematic shop up and down the High Street, going to the British Gas showroom to pay the gas bill (which, I might add, was often the only warm shop in the Chiltern Hills harsh winters), then to shops for smaller items like magazines, books, shoes, clothes or C if you were lucky C toys. Sometimes you would go back to the car with the bags of shopping before visiting the food shops, because there was just so much to carry!
Food shops were butchers, bakers, delicatessens (for milk and dairy products), green grocers (for fruit, vegetables, spices, cereals and specialities) and, if you were lucky, sweet shops. By the time you had done all this, you were exhausted!
[image error]Shoe Fitting Fluoroscope
Shoe shopping was particularly interesting in the 1960s, which was just as well as I didnt like getting new shoes; they were always too narrow for my feet and hurt for the first few weeks of wearing. There were these strange machines in the shops that reminded me of the Dr Who Tardis. You stood on a platform and the machine X-Rayed your feet to find exactly the right fitting for you. So basically we were subjecting ourselves to dangerous radiation just for a shoe-fitting, although we didnt realise the danger at the time! The machines, I only found out recently, were called Shoe Fitting Fluoroscopes.
Although not strictly shopping, visits to the library were frequent, because books were expensive and beyond the budget of most kids. Even for a town of 20,000 people our library was only about the size of an average shop and very poorly stocked. In about 1969 we finally got the library we deserved in a large, modern and airy new building. It took a while for the shelves to be filled, but soon I was able to hunt down speciality books on all sorts of fields within WWII, which was my great interest at the time.
[image error]Woolworths in the 1960s
Even the least persuasive child could usually engineer a visit to Woolworths and Co. Woolies, as we affectionately called it, stocked just about everything, but most importantly, it had toys, records and sweets. 7 inch 45 rpm records were for single tracks, an A-side and B-side, the A-side being the hit single for say, the Beatles. A 45 rpm would be 9 shillings and 11 pence, the equivalent of 49p in decimalised currency. A 12 inch Long Playing record (or LP) was usually 19 shillings and six pence, the equivalent of 99p. My first LP was Geoff Loves Big War Movie themes, which I still have.
If my mum wanted fresh bread, I would have to walk about a mile down an extremely steep hill to Darvell & Sons bakery. There I would wait for a hot, new, white loaf from the oven, which a girl or woman in a white coat would put in a paper bag for me. Unfortunately, the fragrance of fresh bread always proved too much for me, so by the time I had struggled all the way back up the hill, I would have picked a large hole out of the bottom of the loaf, hoping my mum wouldnt notice!
There was very little frozen food in the 1960s. The only one I can remember was fish fingers. My evening meal was almost always either fish fingers, sausages or cold chicken, mashed potato or chips, and either peas, baked beans or fried eggs, all usually served with a slice of bread and butter and a glass of milk.
The toy shop was, of course, an Aladdins Cave of wonders! Ours, Littens Toys, was wonderfully furnished with wood-panelled walls and wooden cabinets. On the right hand side were all the items a girl could want, toy prams, bicycles, dolls, dolls houses etc., while on the left were bicycles for boys, models and a whole load of toy cars, all displayed in glass cases. Behind the serving counter, along the back wall, was a long cabinet, stacked to the roof with Dinky Toys, Corgi, and Matchbox boxes, all brightly coloured and begging to be bought! I remember the proprietor being a jovial guy, who never minded taking time to help you choose your purchase.
A special occasion would be a trip to Trewins in Watford. Trewins was a department store which had an even wider range of toys than Woolworths. My mum bought me a plastic toy friction-drive de Havilland Comet, which you could drag across the floor to wind up the clockwork drive and then release to let it run across the carpet on its own. These must have been the most popular present in Trewins that Christmas, because there was a whole table stacked with them. Later, my mum bought me a cattle truck, made by Budgie and still later, I bought a Corgi Ford Mercury Station Wagon.
A very special occasion, once every year, was a trip on the Underground train to Hamleys in Londons Regent Street. Hamleys proclaims itself the Finest Toy Shop in the World and at about 7 floors over 2 buildings, it was a childs dream. I reckon the lost kids department (I kid you not, it existed) must have been very busy, because kids were always becoming separated from my parents. A Hornby train set ran right around one floor, but my favourite was a radio-controlled North American B-25 Mitchell that hung, motionless, from the ceiling. Every year I would look longingly at this beautiful, silver angel of the air, and wonder how I could get one. I am sure this is what led to my future hobby of first control-line model aircraft and later, radio-control.
[image error]Green Shield Stamps
If you had survived all this shopping, there was the long struggle back to the car C there were no shopping trolleys then C and the drive home. But this wasnt always the end. There was often the stop at an Esso or Shell garage, where my mum would get Green Shield stamps in return for a certain amount of petrol. My mum would stick them in Green Shield Saver Books (or get me to do it, with a lot of licking) and collect them to exchange for things from the Green Shield Catalogue.
There were also coins and cards you could get with petrol, such as the Shell coins representing vintage cars, a collection I completed, and the Shell holographic World Wildlife cards, a set which I collected but never completed.
[image error]Shell Word Wildlife holographic cards
There is one last memory of pocket money that I want to mention. It may have been around 1970 that I first saw something entirely new in a small toy shop in a nearby town; a Tamiya kit of the Chieftain tank. Until then, model tanks, especially ones which were motorised, were not to scale and mostly pretty crude representations of the real thing. I was lucky in that my granddad was an experienced engineer and expert modeller, so he built me a Centurion tank, which was motorised. It ran for a few years, under constant repair, until either the motor of the drive wore out. I had long since lost it by 1970. But the Chieftain was not only a detailed scale model, but it could be motorised and even radio-controlled! I had to have one! I saved and saved, but it was ?7.49, which was a lot of money for a child then. Tamiya was a Japanese company and this was the first of their models I had seen in the UK, so there was no alternative but to seek some kind of part-time work. I was lucky again here; my mother was a magazine editor, so she offered me work collating the magazine by hand. It was hard work but after about 13 weeks, I had enough money. I went to the shop with every last penny I had and guess what? The kits price had gone up to ?7.99. Well, I was devastated, and exhausted. I must have decided something cheaper would be less work, because I never did buy the Tamiya Chieftain tank.
[image error]Decimalisation Day pack (this without 50p coin)
In about 1968, decimalisation was announced. This would make life much easier! Now, there would be 100 pennies to the pound and no more shillings. There would be a new 50 pence piece and no hapenny bits, threepenny bits or farthings (which was worth 1/4 penny in old money). The old d would be replaced with the p. We were all excited with anticipation of the new world and had daily lessons at school using toy cash registers. On TV there were programmes about decimalisation almost every day, and when the day finally came in 1971, every child in the UK was issued with a small wallet, containing a mint example of each new coin. I think complete ones must be very rare now, because every kid I knew spent the lot within weeks; after all a pound was 2 weeks pocket money in those days!
What toys did you have in the 1960s? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
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November 6, 2018
Classics Adapted by a Qualified Teacher
I recently qualified to teach English and published four classics in various editions: Agatha Christies The Mysterious Affair at Styles (featuring Poirot) and The Secret Adversary, Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and Shakespeares MacBeth. They have proved so popular that I decided to give them their !
Each edition is available as an eBook on Amazon, Smashwords and Google Play (2 TEFL editions are also on StreetLib), with paperback and Large Print paperback available on Amazon only.
Please note: not all editions are available outside the USA, for copyright reasons. However, you can order the paperbacks from Amazon.com (USA).
Here is the full list of books in the series (links are to Amazon):
The Mysterious Affair at Styles C Adapted For Kids C Large Print
The Secret Adversary C Adapted For Kids ( and Editions)
The Secret Adversary C For Kids (US and UK Editions) C Large Print
The Secret Adversary C Vocabulary Stretcher ( and Editions)
The Secret Adversary C For EFL/ESL Level B2 Students (US and Editions)
Frankenstein C Adapted For Kids C Large Print
MacBeth C Adapted For Kids C Large Print
The following are examples of the twenty-volume series.
[image error]Frankenstein for Students of English as a Foreign Language
This edition includes student exercises at the end of every chapter with answers at the end of the book.
Victor Frankenstein dabbles with forces he cannot understand when he creates a monster at University in Geneva and brings it to life.
This version of the story has been specially adapted for pupils studying English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL, ESOL, EFL, TOEFL, ELTS CEFR), ideal for those studying for Citizenship in English-speaking countries like USA and UK. The language and vocabulary are simple, and emphasis is on action using past, present and future simple tenses.
Includes
Broad questions about the text that can be used for discussion or writing short essays
More detailed questions about the text.
Questions about grammar.
Games you can play on your own or with a friend.
Punctuation meets UK or USA ESL/CEFR/IELTS Level B2 in most cases, although there are some 19th Century features of the text which do not comply and have been left intact to preserve the charm of Mary Shelleys text.
[image error]MacBeth C Vocabulary Stretcher
This edition is a vocabulary stretcher and includes links from all difficult words to an online dictionary.
The wife of a Scottish lord persuades him to murder the King for his crown with dire consequences.
Shakespeares classic play has delighted readers and film fans for many years.
This version of the story has been specially adapted for students of English as a Foreign or Second Language. The language and vocabulary are simple, and emphasis is on action using past, present and future simple tenses.
Punctuation meets UK or USA ESL/CEFR/IELTS Level B2 in most cases, although there are some 19th Century features of the text which do not comply and have been left intact to preserve the charm of Shakespeares text.
[image error]They Mysterious Affair at Styles for kids
This edition features ten, unique illustrations throughout.
A guest at Styles house witnesses the sudden and mysterious death of its owner, but a friend in the village, Poirot, is a brilliant, Belgian detective.
Agatha Christies dapper dancing detective, Poiriot, has delighted readers and film fans for many years.
This version of the first Poirot story has been specially adapted for kids from nine to twelve years old. The language and vocabulary are easy, and emphasis is on action using past, present and future simple tenses.
Punctuation meets UK or USA ESL/CEFR/IELTS Level B2.
Lazlo Ferran is a fully qualified English teacher and teaches in London. He has also published more than twenty novels, making him the ideal choice to adapt Agatha Christies stories for children.
Vocabulary Stretcher and UK or USA ESL/CEFR Level B2 editions are also available.
[image error]The Secret Adversary for kids
This UK-English edition features ten, unique illustrations throughout.
A girl on the sinking liner Lusitania is given a secret packet to save by a mysterious stranger. Pursued by criminals and the British government, she goes missing, leaving amateur detectives Tuppence and Tommy to find her and rescue the packet.
This version of the second Christie story has been specially adapted for kids from nine to twelve years old. The language and vocabulary are easy, and emphasis is on action using past, present and future simple tenses.
Punctuation meets UK or USA ESL/CEFR/IELTS Level B2.
Lazlo Ferran is a fully qualified English teacher and teaches in London. He has also published more than twenty novels, making him the ideal choice to adapt Agatha Christies stories for children.
Vocabulary Stretcher and UK or USA ESL/CEFR Level B2 editions are also available.
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